Songs on the radio usually run 2-5 minutes in length.But there are some songs(late 1950's,1960's-today).that are real long,running longer than 5 minutes.Example:The Temptations '1972 hit "Papa Was a Rolling Stone"was originally 16 minutes,but was cut down to 7 minutes,for radio airplay.Know of any more really long songs?

Iron Butterfly's 'In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida' ran for 17:05 from 1968.


I once heard that around the time that the song first came out that it had a lot of airtime on the radio because the radio hosts took breaks while it played.

Alice's Restaurant(Arlo Guthrie) ran 18.5 minutes. 1967

The Doors Light My Fire(1967) was too long for AM airplay so it the instrumental section(which is awesome) was pared down.

Also,the late Ray Charles' classic 1959 hit "What'd I Say"was pared down for AM radio play (some (not all)stations only play part 1-and skip part 2)from its original 6:03 length.(But don't worry.Some stations pare down the song even further,(not a lot)and DO play parts 1 and 2-Even pared down a little,it's STILL a great song.

The Alan Parsons Project's The Fall of the House of Usher is 16:05.

The Alan Parsons Project's The Naked Robot is 10:19.

From Pink Floyd's Animals-
Dogs 17:03
Pigs 11:25
Sheep 10:25

From Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here-
Shine On You Crazy Diamond(1-5) 13:38
Shine On You Crazy Diamond(6-9) 12:29

From Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother-
Atom Heart Mother 23:44
Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast 13:00

Pink Floyd's A Saucerful of Secrets 11:52

Camel's Lady Fantasy 12:45

Transvision Vamp's Velveteen 9:51

Oh man, my favorite band, Dream Theater, they're known for their long songs!!! I figure on average with all the songs they have and the length of those songs, I'm guessing on average 8 minutes.

Examples - "Learning to Live" 11:31
"Metropolis" is over 9 min.
"Scarred" is 11 min
"The Glass Prison" is 13:52

And the big ones - "Octavarium" is 5 movements and played all together is 24 min. "In the Presence of Enemies" played back to back is 25 min. and the longest one "Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence" which has 8 movements, when played all together is a whole 42 minutes!!

And I got to hear those last 3 songs in concert at one time or another. :rock:

As a fan of Prog-Rock...many songs went 5+ minutes, like...

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"Late Lament" and the orchestral begining was omitted on radio.

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I dunno if I ever heard the short version, but another Yessong, "Owner on a Lonely Heart" has been edited.

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Though NOT a Prog-Rock Song...most radio stations only played Part 1 of this song...Part 2 is the best part of the song!

These classics that everyone and their grandmA knows: Stairway to Heaven, and Free Bird.

Like mentioned prog rock, like Carn Evil #9 by ELP.

Another one was Rio by Duran Duran which was over 5 minutes. Actually most of their songs are much longer than the single version.

November Rain - Guns N' Roses 8:52

I'd Do Anything for Love - Meat Loaf 11:54

Achilles Last Stand - Led Zepplin 10:19

"Mountain Jam" by the Allman Brothers Band is about 35 minutes long. The song takes up one whole album.

Here's some more Prog Songs that are real long by Genesis....

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Phil Collins later did this song, but cut the flute and guitar instrumental break.

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This is probably the best era of Genesis...Peter Gabriel on vocals and Phil Collins was coming out of his shell as a drummer and background singer for Genesis!

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This is in 3 parts, but it's a VERY epic song, ending with Revelation!

Most of Metallica's material goes over 5 mins.

Some make it a few seconds over and others are almost 10 mins. long.

Their longest recording, to date, is from the Lou Reed collab. album 'Lulu' with 'Junior Dad' running 19:29.

The Beatles had three long songs, this one's the longest...and nonsensical!...

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This is the 2nd Longest...and the song abruptly ends!...

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This is the 3rd Longest Beatles Song...but it reached #1!...

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"American Pie" by Don McClean and that song never gets edited on radio.

"No More Tears" by Ozzy Osbourne is over seven minutes long and rock stations have edited out the instrumental part before the guitar solo. Without it, it makes the song awkward.

Muse's Space Dementia is 6:21.

Donna Summer's original long version of "Love To Love You Baby" is 17:04 and her original long version of "Try Me I Know We Can Make It" is a little over 10 minutes. Her MacArthur Park Suite, featuring the back to back tracks "MacArthur Park," "One of A Kind," "Heaven Knows" and the reprise of the first song is also another 17 minute track. Many disco and dance songs are very long, because it kept the dancers dancing and the DJ's didn't have to do a whole lot. :lol:

Here's a few more 5+ Minute Songs....

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Elton John - Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding 11:10
Prince & The Revolution - Purple Rain 8:41
Ted Nugent - Stranglehold 8:23

From my favorite King Crimson Album "In the Court of the Crimson King"...I'll share a few songs...

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The Alan Parsons Project's The Fall of the House of Usher is 16:05.

The Alan Parsons Project's The Naked Robot is 10:19.

From Pink Floyd's Animals-
Dogs 17:03
Pigs 11:25
Sheep 10:25

From Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here-
Shine On You Crazy Diamond(1-5) 13:38
Shine On You Crazy Diamond(6-9) 12:29

From Pink Floyd's Atom Heart Mother-
Atom Heart Mother 23:44
Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast 13:00

Pink Floyd's A Saucerful of Secrets 11:52

Camel's Lady Fantasy 12:45

Transvision Vamp's Velveteen 9:51

Pink Floyd's "Echoes":
23:24 on Meddle
16:30 on Echoes

Led Zeppelin's "Dazed and Confused":
26:52 on The Song remains the Same
18:36 on BBC Sessions

Black Sabbath's "Wicked World":
18:44 on Live at Last

From Led Zeppelin's How the West Was Won:
"Dazed and Confused"/25:24
"Moby Dick"/19:23
"Whole Lotta Love"/23:07

These songs were long and released in the late-60's.

Here's one from one of my favorite bands, Procol Harum...

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It was also done Live 4 years after its release with The Edmonton Symphony Orchestra...

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Chicago made a few long songs, like this one...

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And Steppenwolf made a song about America....

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(Anyone agree that the ending of "Foreigner Suite" sounds like Coldplay's "Viva la Vida"?)
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J. Blackfoot's recorded some long tunes, good listening too I might add.
God rest his soul.

Just One Lifetime 5:21

Two Different People 5:11

Mr. Bus Driver 5:14

I Stood on the Sidewalk 6:13

Hiding Place 5:11

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I love this song!!!

I love this song!!!

Thanks for the comment!;)

"Weird Al" Yankovic made a few 5+ minute songs like this R Kelly Parody....

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This Frank Zappa-ish song....

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And this rant song....

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ENIGMA's got some long tunes. Here are some of them:

Return to Innocence - "Long & Alive Version"
(remixed by Curly M.C. and Jens Gad) – 7:07

Sadeness - "Sadeness Part I" (Extended Trance Mix) – 5:04

The Eyes of Truth - "Album Version" – 7:27

Gravity of Love - "Judgement Day Club Mix" - 6:12

Carly's Song - "Carly's Song (Jam & Spoon Remix)" – 6:31

Beyond the Invisible - "Beyond The Invisible (Album Version)" – 5:05

Principles of Lust - "Everlasting Lust Mix" – 5:25

A few more Art-Rock selections I must add...

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(This is supposed to be the reactions of the English Civil War when Cromwell would be "King" of England eventually...I used King in quotation marks because he acted like a king...but NEVER got that title).

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(This is for some...The Noah's Ark Story as told by a Zoroastrian).

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(This song came before "Bohemian Rhapsody").

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(This is one of the best ELP Songs next to "Kern Evil 9").

Born on the Bayou - Creedence 5:10

Suzie Q - Creedence 8:34

I Heard it Through The Grapevine - Creedence 11:05

"Street Player" by Chicago is 9:08.
The studio version of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Free Bird" is ten minutes long.
The unedited version of Foghat's "Slow Ride" is 8:17.
"Taxi" by Harry Chapin Carpenter is over six minutes long.
"Year of the Cat" by Al Stewart is 6:34.

Layla is a long song. It's got that instrumental going on.

Here's some from the 60's....

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